pitcher parent advice please

[Gbucz]

Love all the advice and methods here. Just to add my two ideas - the phrase 'I don't know..." and video tape.

I gained incredible respect from DD when I used video to analyze and question things. I would approach things with her from a 'this is what it looks likes you are doing, is that what you intended?' aspect. She could see what I see and either explain what is going on or work with me to fix things. Much of what I would see or comment on was coaching but she has an active part and she could see what I was basing my opinion on. I could just tell her what to correct but the tape and approach give me more credit.

The phrase 'I don't know' seemed to help with this as well. I use it often with her - even when I do know - just so she doesn't put up the wall right away. Example: DD- ump wouldn't give me the drops but low fastballs were strikes. ME- I don't know what to tell you they suck sometimes. How were the other pitches working out? DD - vents some about the other pitches. ME- Hey wasn't the catcher dropping all the time on the drops but standing on the fastballs? Maybe the ump was just assuming it was in the dirt so it must be a ball? DD - You might have something there I think she did drop alot.

I saw it in the first inning but couldn't tell her or the catcher what I saw since I am just a parent who doesn't know anything.

Good luck with your season.

 

[bucket pinata]

One thing that I started doing for my DD last year is counting outs pitched.Her team last year was a little rough on defense to say the least.Poor girl would strike out 12+ and still lose the game.After a while she put the added pressure of thinking she needed to strike out every Batter to be a good pitcher.counting outs really gave a perspective on how well she was really pitching and helped bring her performance in perspective.

 

[MandM]

That's strange to me, you have to be in charge, but I guess the travel coaches coach it right out of them. I thought most new athletes think they are all that, speak up too much, and need boundaries set, not the other way around. I don't get the shyness. Maybe a girls travel thing.

I think that it is situational- this is HS now, and the coach is a former TB coach who runs a tight ship, as a freshman who is gaining confidence in her pitching- she is not ready or willing to shake off a sign since the signs are coming from the coach- and that would mean challenging his authority (this is school-related so the teacher hierarchy persists). there is not a two-way conversation going on. My hope is to provide my DD (if she will listen) more insight into the pitch-calling process so she can have confident input into the discussion. I also think that TB will be an opportunity to have a more collaborative discussion with the coaches- the opposite of HS.